MANAGEMENT OF HANDICRAFT CLUSTERSON THE BASIS OF HANDHOLDING BY CIVIL SOCIETY

Production of handmade goods is labor-intensive, low-tech, and spread out. The knowledge of this skill was passed down from one generation of people to the next. The growing global competitiveness, technical advances, and economic growth have all had a major impact on this industry. This paper presents various drivers that are affecting competitiveness of handicrafts manufacturing units of a cluster through empirical study. Various challenges faced by the cluster units were identified through field visits, interaction with stakeholders and detailed analysis. Based on the study a suitable framework and recommendations for improving competitiveness of the cluster units is proposed and policy implications were identified.